This week we're discussing football with Anthony from the Youngstown State Football Blog. Anthony has been a Penguin football fan ever since the days of Jim Tressel, but we'll try not to hold that against him. He started his YSU football blog earlier this year. He is an alumni of YSU as well as Ursuline High School, where Penn State backup quarterback Daryll Clark went to school.
Will you be making the trip to Happy Valley? Have you ever been to State College before? If so, what were your impressions or what are you looking forward to seeing?
Anthony: No I will not be making a trip to Happy Valley, I got a big day of football on tap for next week to see already! First I will watch my fav. I-A Team Notre Dame play Meee-chigan.. Then I will watch YSU vs. Penn St. on ESPNU. Followed by a trip down to Youngstown State at 6pm for a great high school matchup between Youngstown Ursuline (3-0) and the Defending D3 State Champs: Steubenville Big Red (3-0). I have never been to State College, but I hear its one of the best atmospheres you could ever feel in the land...
If you change your mind, I have a ticket for you. Your Penguins had a pretty good year last year going 8-3 and winning the Gateway Conference title. You're off to a great 2-0 start this year. What's the outlook for this year's team?
Anthony: Well YSU is loaded, and has a ton of I-A Transfers. TE Louis Irizarry of Ohio State and Ytown Ursuline. TB Marcus Mason of Illinois. TB Monquante Gibson of Kentucky. WR Miles Williams of Michigan State. SS Vince Gliatta of your Penn State Nittany Lions (former qb). Backup QB Mike Schneider who was the starting QB at Duke. That is just a few of many.
We have a huge senior class of 27 seniors... If not tops, one of the tops in all of NCAA Football. We have one loaded offense which will score a lot of points. On Paper our defense looks great, but they have played underpar so far this year, and will look bad come Saturday. Our special teams are very solid, great punter and placekicker.
Right now we are TOP 6 in most if not all I-AA Polls, and #1 New Hampshire did just embarrass Northwestern with a 35-17 win over the Huskies. We are well on our way to the playoffs, and could win it all this year!
Ok stop it. You're starting to scare me. Who are some Penguin players that are going to make Nittany Lion fans wonder why they aren't playing in I-A ball?
Anthony: Louis Irizarry. Coming out of High School he was TOP 3 TE of anyone in America in his class. He has a great built: 6'5 - 255 pounds with great speed. He got in trouble down in Columbus and came up here and has a spotless record and has done everything as told. He did play in some games for the Buckeyes, so he will be used to the big crowd.
Tell us about Youngstown State's style of offense. Do you guys like to spread it out and throw it up or do you lean more toward four yards and a cloud of dust?
Anthony: Youngstown State will run the ball and pass the ball equally it seems. They will run the ball and try to build a rythym with it; and then put a string of passes together. You will see them run the ball early in my book, then grow on the run; but if its still close into the 2nd half, watch them pass the ball and find the holes. Irizarry is the big target, but has caught just 2 passes in 2 games, of 3 attempts.
You said you watched our game with Notre Dame. What were your impressions of that game? Did you see anything you think the Penguins can exploit against the Lions?
Anthony: Well since I am a big Irish fan, I don't want to sound bias but Penn State looked awful. Morelli did not look good at all. I would love to see Clark start over him and show you guys what he is made of. It is evident YSU's offense can put drives up on Penn St.'s defense if they play like they did against ND. Not a good game to judge them on, nor was the Akron game either.
Any predictions for this weekend?
Penn State wins this 35-10. Most likely will be worse, but JoePA will keep it close to not embarrass anyone and YSU will find a way to put some points on the board, it will be a game at half though.
Did Jim Tressel used to wear those stupid sweater-vests when he coached there too? Please tell me they don't sell them at the bookstore?
Anthony: (Laughter) Yes he did wear those sweater vests.
GO PENGUINS!!!!! GOOD LUCK SATURDAY!!!!